Explore School Holiday Activities in Your Melbourne Suburb

Check out what’s on these school holidays around different suburbs in Melbourne. From magic shows to fun runs, there’s a host of great activities for kids these summer holidays, with many of them free! Here, we’ve put together a couple of options from each of the areas that Woodards services as your local real estate experts.

Carnegie

• Giraffes Can’t Dance Workshop - Held across two sessions at the Carnegie Library and Community Centre from 11am and 1pm on Friday 17 January 2025. Channel your inner Gerald the Giraffe from the beloved children’s picture book and discover the magic of dance and movement. Led by Arabella Watson, this event is for kids aged 5 and up.
• Chinese Brush Painting with Gabrielle Wang - Running from 11am until 12pm on Tuesday 14 January at Carnegie Library and Community Centre, this workshop with acclaimed children’s author and illustrator, Gabrielle Wang explores the art of Chinese brush painting with a class for kids aged 8 and up.

Bentleigh and Elsternwick

• Glide or Slide @ the Ice Rink - On Tuesday 21 January 2025, get active while escaping the heat and cut rings at the local ice-skating rink. Part of Glen Eira’s Summer Teen School Holiday Program aimed at kids over 12, pick up is at Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub. Running from 10am until 4pm, it costs $11 or is free for Health Care Card holders.
• Art Attack - Get creative with everything from painting to dry clay art and rug tufting all happening down at the Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub from 10am to 2pm on Wednesday 22 January 2025.
• Make your own rocket wand - Space explorers aged 5 and up can unleash their creativity down at Elsternwick Library on Tuesday 7 January 2025 where they can make their very own rocket wand at this workshop running from 11am until 5pm.

Macedon Ranges

• Skate, Scoot & BMX Comp - Get shredding these summer holidays in the Macedon Ranges at Gisborne Skatepark on Saturday 18 January 2025 from 11am to 4pm. A live band will be jamming out while you show off your skills. No need to pre-register, just show up and sign up on the day.
• Woodend Pool Party - Cool down and enjoy a day of fun at the Woodend pool on Tuesday 21 January 2025 from 12pm to 3pm, complete with a DJ and sausage sizzle to make for a lively vibe.

Blackburn

• Family Mosaics Garden Paver - Get the whole family together to create colourful, unique garden pavers together, working together to have fun while learning mosaic techniques. This workshop runs over two sessions on Wednesday 25 January from 10am to 1pm and Friday 17th January 10am to 11.30am at Strathdon House and Orchard Precinct, a stone’s throw from Blackburn.
• Edible Garden Workshop for Kids - Give your budding young greenthumb in the family a chance to learn about gardening while making seed pots, planting seeds and exploring insects while digging up soil and investigating gardens with magnifying glasses. Another great workshop at Strathdon House and Orchard Precinct, it’s all happening on Wednesday 15 January from 10:30 until 11:30am.

Camberwell

• Make Your Own Croc Charms - Rock your crocs this summer in style by making your very own charms down at the Boroondara Youth Hub. Aimed at kids from 10 to 14, the Croc charm workshop is held on Monday 13 January 2025 from 2pm to 4pm.
• T-Rex Tales: Dinosaur adventures at the library - Dinosaur lovers unite at the Camberwell Library from 9am to 2pm on Friday 17 January 2025. Aimed at kids aged 4 to 12, create, decorate and explore dinosaur activities, including a live-action dinosaur show with roaming dinosaur puppets.

Mornington Peninsula

• Arthurs Seat - Nothing is more iconic when it comes to Morning Peninsula experiences than taking to the skies on the Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola. If your kids are yet to experience it, tick it off your list these summer school holidays and enjoy some of the best scenic outlooks across the region.
• Candle Making Workshop - Creative kids can get on down to Red Hill Candle Co in Dromana to participate in their popular School Holiday Candle Making Workshops where keen kids can create their very own signature candles! There are a number of workshops available across multiple days from the 9th to the 17th of January 2025.

Mount Waverley and Oakleigh

• Mount Waverley Summer School Holiday Program - Held at the Holy Family Primary School for kids aged 5 to 13 over two weeks from 13 January to 24 January 2025, the Mount Waverley Summer Holiday Program is designed to help kids stay active during the school holidays, with games and activities including Basketball, Soccer, Footy, Hockey, Cricket and Dodgeball.
• Solar Fan Fun - Get creative and make your own solar fan at Mount Waverley Library. Held on Tuesday 21 January 2025 at 2:30pm, this workshop is ideal for kids aged 6-12.

Ascot Vale and Essendon

• Refashion Your Clothes - Get down to the Makerspace at Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre on Thursday 23 January 2025 from 1pm to 3pm for a creative refashioning event! Bring an old shirt and transform it into a stylish bag or new top. Unleash your creativity, learn new skills, and give some older clothes a fresh new look. All skill levels are welcome.
• Circus Nexus Access Workshops - Are you or someone you know living with a disability and looking for a fun summer holiday activity? Join the Circus Nexus coaches down at the Clocktower Centre for circus activities and games including juggling, acrobalance, flower sticks, and more. Right near Essendon and Ascot Vale, this workshop is held across two 1 hour sessions at 11am and 1pm on Wednesday 22 January 2025.

Carlton and the Inner North

• Tiny Tours: Whale to Tail - Embark on an adventure of discovery at the Melbourne Museum in Carlton Gardens, where young minds explore how the smallest details reveal life’s biggest secrets. From the krill that sustains a mighty whale to the final vertebra in a Triceratops tail, this tour takes place every Friday in January 2025 and shows how tiny things can tell us grand stories about the past.
• Fitzroy Gardens Outdoor Adventure - Entertain the kids with a free outdoor adventure challenge in the Fitzroy Gardens. Starting off at the Fitzroy Gardens  Visitor Centre and designed for primary school aged kids, participants will collect their map and then head off on their hunt to answer 12 questions around the gardens. This activity is available every day throughout the school holidays.

South Yarra

• Nature Play - Delight all senses with free nature play experiences for children on Oak Lawn and in The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden this autumn on the 8th and 9th of January 2025. Learning facilitators and volunteers are there to help kids connect to the natural world through a range of nature-inspired experiences.
• Words From the Wireless - Discover the magic of audio storytelling at The Channel, a workshop that invites a young person and adult to create a podcast episode together, giving them a chance to learn new skills, capture stories and play with music and sound effects. This workshop is recommended for 10-15 year olds and takes place on the 15th and 20th of January 2025 from 11am to 2pm as part of Arts Centre Melbourne's Families Program.

Coburg and Pascoe Vale

• 100 Story Building: Comic BOOM! workshop - Get down to Coburg Library for this fun, engaging, creative workshop focused on creating fantastical comics based on your own life experiences. Running on Friday 10 January 2025, this session is for kids aged 8-12.
• Outdoor Sportz & Games - Head down to Moreland Station on Tuesday 21 January 2025 for a great summer experience of music, exciting games, and socialising for 12 to 18 year olds. This free event is a parent-free zone, fully supervised by youth workers from the Merri-bek Youth team.

Croydon

• Be a Guide for a Day - Join Maroondah District Girl Guides to experience all that guiding has to offer, including cooking, crafts and other outdoor adventures. Aimed at girls aged between 5 - 14 years old, the event is on Tuesday 21 January 2025, 9am to 4pm at Ainslie Park Guide Hall in Croydon.
• Burnt Bridge Tennis Club Open Day - Come along from 11am to 2pm for fun and games at the Burnt Bridge Tennis Club. People of all ages are welcome to participate in activities on all courts, including a fast four competition, check your serve speed and a sausage sizzle.

Heidelberg

• Drumming Workshop - Participate in an African drumming experience on Thursday 23 January at Malahang Reserve in Heidelberg West from 4pm to 5pm. All drums supplied for this free event and no experience is necessary. Open House will also be running “Backyard Sports” the same day there for extra fun.
• $3 Slide Night - Get down to WaterMarc, Greensborough from 6pm to 9pm on Friday 17 January for $3 unlimited rides on the Tantrum Alley & Pipeline Slide. Young people aged 10 to 17 can try out the giant inflatable obstacle course, enjoy pool access and listen to music by request.

Keilor

• Summer Craft Drop Ins - Draw, create, and colour to your heart’s content at our libraries’ drop-in craft sessions. Ages 3-12 years. Free, no bookings required. Weekly, 9 January – 24 January. Niddrie Library Fridays, 10am–12pm
• Summer Series at Keilor East Leisure Centre - Running from 7 January to 9 March 2025, the MOVE Summer Series 2025 is a six-week series of free sessions at the Keilor East Leisure Centre open to the community, including kids, to stay healthy and active.

Lilydale and Yarra Valley

• Become a Chocolatier - Visit Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery these school holidays where junior chocolatiers aged 6 to 12 can spend a day learning what it’s like creating sweet treats while taking home three chocolate creations to enjoy. The classes run all month in January 2025 on Tuesdays & Wednesdays with hourly sessions from 9am to 2pm.
• Rainbow Macrame - Join Mel from MeCo Macrame at Round Bird Artspace in Lilydale for this 3-hour workshop for kids 10 to 14 on Wednesday 15 January 2025 at. Participants get to create their very own macrame rainbow, learning a creative new skill with no experience required.

Manningham

• Paddlepower - Enjoy fun on the water at Westerfolds Park subsidised by Manningham City Council, only costing $5 a session Manningham Council residents. Running on the 14th and 17th of January 2025, Paddlepower is ideal for 6-13 year olds while young people aged 12 to 18 can join or put together a team to play kayak paddle ball - it’s fun, fast and doesn’t have too many rules!!
• Football Star Academy - Down at the Donvale Primary School, kids aged 5 to 12 can enjoy some action-packed fun and games on the field. No previous football (soccer) experience required. With sessions on the 2nd, 6th, 13th and 20th of January 2025, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved, with a subsidised rate of $10 for Manningham residents!